Chess Team
Elite U.S. special operators face ancient and inhuman threats.
The Chess Team is a fictional elite military unit featured in a series of 15 military science-fiction fantasy works by American author Jeremy Robinson. Formed under a special order from U.S. President Thomas Duncan, the team is led by ex-Delta Force operator Jack Sigler (callsign King) and composed of hand-picked operators from the best of the United States Special Forces. They are tasked with anti-terrorism missions against ancient, modern, and inhuman threats, often uncovering history's deadliest secrets.
- field
- Military science-fiction fantasy
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Anti-terrorism missions against ancient and inhuman threats
- creator
- Jeremy Robinson
- leader
- Jack Sigler (callsign King)
- handler
- Deep Blue (Tom Duncan)
Quick Facts
- Author
- Jeremy Robinson
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Genre
- Fantasy, military science fiction
- Publisher
- St. Martin's Press / Breakneck Media / Seven Realms Publishing
- Pub Date
- 2009 – 2016
- Media Type
- Print (hardback & paperback), audiobook
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The core Chess Team consists of King, Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight, and their handler Deep Blue. Additional operators may be added temporarily under the designation Pawn with a number moniker. The main series comprises eight novels, beginning with Pulse and ending with Empire, plus an origins novel titled Prime (considered Book 0). In Pulse, the team's first adventure, archaeologist George Pierce discovers the remains of the mythical Lernaean Hydra beneath the Nazca plains, leading to a confrontation with the Manifold Genetics corporation and its leader Richard Ridley.
Subsequent novels follow the team through diverse threats. In Instinct, they operate in Vietnam alongside CDC disease detective Dr. Sara Fogg and encounter the legendary Hercules. Threshold reveals King's family secrets and the concept of a universal language called the Mother Tongue. Ragnarok introduces the Norse wolf deity Fenrir and King's sister Asya. Omega involves time travel to 799 B.C. and a final battle with Richard Ridley. Later novels include Savage, Cannibal, and Empire, where the team becomes wanted fugitives. A series of six novellas, Chesspocalypse, occurs between Threshold and Ragnarok.
Reader's Guide
The Chess Team series represents a blend of military action, science fiction, and mythological fantasy, with each novel pitting the team against threats rooted in ancient legends or modern bioweapons. The series is significant for its interconnected narrative spanning 20 novels and novellas, building a detailed universe around the core team and their recurring nemesis Richard Ridley. The team's evolution—including the replacement of member Erik Somers with Asya as Bishop—reflects ongoing character development. The series also explores themes of family, identity, and the misuse of ancient knowledge. Its legacy lies in its sustained popularity within the military sci-fi genre, offering readers a mix of tactical operations, mythological creatures, and high-stakes global conspiracies.
Did You Know?
- The Chess Team was formed under a special order from U.S. President Thomas Duncan.
- The team's handler, Deep Blue, is later revealed to be Tom Duncan himself.
- The series comprises 15 works: 8 main novels, 1 prequel, and 6 novellas.
- The novella series Chesspocalypse occurs between the events of Threshold and Ragnarok.
More in Science fantasy novels 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record